I wanted a laser pointer for presentation purposes. Also wanted something a little different so I went with a 405nm 5mW device only to find out that its very difficult to see on certain backgrounds and if there is any ambient light.

My thought was that 5mW is just underpowered for the 405nm and I want to try something a bit more powerful without having to worry about burning projector screens down or putting anyone in harms way.

How powerful can I go and still be on the safer side. And why are true blue / 450ish nm lasers so hard to find? That's the color I originally wanted to go with????

Out of all the readily available diodes, my absolute favorite is the PL450. It is the most beautiful true blue. ( the same color of blue you might see in your rear view window if you have a bit of a lead foot. )

If you search ebay for "450 pointer" you will find some, no guarantee on the true power you might receive.